REFERENCE: Vol. 133 No. 145

TITLE: CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT OF 1987

SPEAKER: HON. LEON E. PANETTA OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TEXT: Text that appears in UPPER CASE identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the House on the floor.

MR. PANETTA. MR. SPEAKER, I WAS UNABLE TO BE PRESENT ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1987, TO RECORD MY VOTE ON H.R. 442, THE CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT OF 1987. POPE JOHN PAUL II WAS VISITING MY DISTRICT -- MY HOMETOWN, IN FACT -- AND I WAS ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WELCOMING CEREMONIES. I DID, HOWEVER, REQUEST THAT MY VOTES BE PAIRED AGAINST ALL AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL AND FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF THE BILL. HAD I BEEN ABLE TO RECORD MY VOTE, I WOULD HAVE VOTED "NO" ON ROLL NO. 320 AND "AYE" ON ROLL NO. 321.

BECAUSE OF MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR H.R. 442, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. AS YOU KNOW, THE TREATMENT OF JAPANESE-AMERICANS IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR HAS LONG BEEN A SOURCE OF CONTROVERSY AND DEBATE IN THIS COUNTRY. ON FEBRUARY 10, 1942, 10 WEEKS AFTER AMERICA'S ENTRANCE IN THE WAR, PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 GIVING THE SECRETARY OF WAR AND REGIONAL MILITARY COMMANDERS THE POWER TO EXCLUDE ANY AND ALL PERSONS FROM DESIGNATED AREAS FOR SECURITY REASONS. IN THE END, MORE THAN 120,000 PERSONS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY -- TWO-THIRDS OF WHOM WERE AMERICAN CITIZENS -- WERE UPROOTED FROM ALONG THE COASTS OF CALIFORNIA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON AND INTERNED IN REMOTE RELOCATION CENTERS.

TODAY, MORE THAN 40 YEARS LATER, THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THAT DECISION CONTINUES. CONGRESS MOVED IN 1980 TO ADDRESS THIS SENSITIVE ISSUE BY ESTABLISHING A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ON WARTIME RELOCATION AND INTERNMENT OF CIVILIANS TO EXAMINE THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO THE EXCLUSION OF JAPANESE-AMERICANS FROM THE WEST COAST AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT DETENTION UNDER ARMED GUARD.

AFTER MONTHS OF HEARINGS AND EXTENSIVE EXAMINATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS, THE COMMISSION REPORTED IN JANUARY 1983 THAT CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS COUNTRY DURING THE WAR DID NOT WARRANT THE INTERNMENT OF THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE-AMERICANS. IN SUPPORT OF THIS CONCLUSION, THE COMMISSION REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE DOCUMENTED ACT OF ESPIONAGE OR SUBVERSION COMMITTED BY AN AMERICAN OF JAPANESE HERITAGE ON THE WEST COAST. THE COMMISSION ALSO NOTED THE UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF SUSPECTED NATIONALS, POINTING OUT THAT NO MASS EXCLUSION OR DETENTION WAS ORDERED AGAINST AMERICANS OF GERMAN OR ITALIAN DESCENT.

FRANKLY, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE NECESSITY OF EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES IN TIMES OF NATIONAL CRISIS. MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE AND GAS AND FOOD RATIONING WERE BUT A FEW OF THE HARDSHIPS AND SACRIFICES THAT TOUCHED THE LIVES OF ALL AMERICANS DURING WORLD WAR II. FOR THE THOUSANDS OF YOUNG AMERICANS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THAT CONFLICT, THE WAR EXACTED A PRICE THAT CAN NEVER BE REPAID.

THE QUESTION BEFORE CONGRESS AND THE NATION IS WHETHER, SOME 40 YEARS AFTER THE FACT, WE SHOULD TRY TO COMPENSATE FOR LOSSES SUFFERED BY AMERICANS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY. I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST COME TO TERMS WITH THIS TRAGIC MOMENT OF OUR HISTORY. THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDED FOR IN THE BILL WILL FINALLY GIVE THIS NEARLY FORGOTTEN CASUALTY OF WORLD WAR II. CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NATION WILL LEARN ABOUT THE CRUELTIES OF WAR AND RACISM. AND THROUGH THIS LEARNING THEY WILL BE ABLE TO AVOID SUCH A TRAGEDY FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

I RECOGNIZE THAT THE LOSS OF LIBERTY AND THE PERSONAL STIGMA ATTACHED TO INTERNMENT CAN NEVER BE ERASED. AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST REMEMBER THAT ETHNIC JAPANESE LOST AN ESTIMATED $810 MILLION TO $2 BILLION, AFTER ADJUSTING FOR INFLATION, AS THE RESULT OF THE RELOCATION. IN THIS CONNECTION, I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF JUSTIFIABLE RESPONSE TO THE FINANCIAL LOSSES INCURRED AS THE RESULT OF FEDERAL POLICY.

FINALLY, THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL PROVES THAT THE COUNTRY IS FINALLY WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INEQUITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR SO LONG TRIED TO IGNORE. I APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THIS LEGISLATION AND HOPE THAT IN SOME WAY IT HELPS HEAL THE WOUNDS OF WORLD WAR II.